Hasan bey Zardabi

Israel releases seven passengers of Gaza flotilla

Israel on Wednesday released seven passengers of a Palestinian humanitarian flotilla that was attempting to break a years-long blockade of Gaza,Anadolu Agency reports.

The flotilla was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on Tuesday.

Raed Abu Dair, coordinator of Gaza’s National Committee for Breaking the Siege, told Anadolu Agency that all of the boat’s passengers except the captain and his assistant were released.

Stating that those released arrived in Gaza by passing through the city of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, he called on international organizations to obtain information on the condition of the captain and assistant.

Earlier, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said the boat, which had been carrying eight passengers, was “stopped without incident”.

Adraee said that after being searched, the vessel and its passengers would be taken to Israel’s Port of Ashdod.

He had gone on to defend what he described as Israel’s “naval cordon” on Gaza, calling it “necessary and legal…for maintaining Israel’s security and its maritime borders”.